Karina Zolotareva

Karina Zolotareva is a master ballet instructor with extensive international touring experience. Karina began her ballet journey at the age of 7 and graduated from one of Russia’s major ballet institutions, the Voronezh State Choreographic School, where she was trained under the rigorous Vaganova system. As a ballet dancer with the Moscow City Ballet and the Primorsky Stage of the Mariinsky Theatre, Karina performed the entire classical repertoire of these companies while touring worldwide.

Her extensive experience in the corps de ballet of leading academic theatres allowed her to master the complex spatial architecture of classical ballet, developing flawless technique and a profound understanding of a choreographer’s compositional vision. This structural approach forms the foundation of her pedagogical work. Today, Karina combines the strict academic discipline of the Vaganova method with the development of her students’ individual artistry. She also serves as a Guest Faculty member for the University of South Carolina Summer Dance Conservatory, where her methodology focuses on building technique, strength, stamina, and confidence in future dancers.